Bethel's an ACC guy now

November 26, 2005|TOM NOIE Tribune Staff Writer

INDIANAPOLIS -- Playing college basketball for a program that has won a national championship in one of the nation's best conferences is a privilege reserved for a select few. Playing college basketball for two programs that have won national championships in two of the nation's best conferences is as rare today as the one-hand set shot. North Carolina State senior guard Tony Bethel has done both. Following two Big East seasons at Georgetown, where he scored eight points with five assists in 45 minutes during the memorable four-overtime Notre Dame game in 2002, Bethel decided that he needed a fresh start. He looked at only one program -- North Carolina State in the Atlantic Coast Conference -- before transferring in 2003. "It's been a blessing to play college basketball for two major universities in two major conferences," Bethel said. Last season, his first with the Wolfpack after sitting out the previous year under NCAA transfer rules, Bethel played in 27 games with 21 starts and averaged 8.0 points and 3.8 rebounds. He has played regular-season conference contests in two of college basketball's most intimidating venues -- Syracuse's Carrier Dome and Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium. Which conference is king? "I'm biased because I'm an ACC guy right now, but the ACC has a better basketball reputation," Bethel said. "The style of play is a little faster than the Big East. "It's just a great atmosphere to play college basketball." Bethel longs for a chance to experience it on a consistent basis. Since arriving in Raleigh, the native of Fort Washington, Md., has battled injury and illness. Bethel started the first 12 games last year before being slowed for four games by the flu. That led to a bacteria infection that caused colitis. He lost 15 pounds in just over a week and missed four games at the start of conference play. Known for his defensive skills, Bethel returned to the rotation and averaged 12.0 points and 31.2 minutes in a 10-game stretch to close the regular season. Early in the second half of North Carolina State's opening-round ACC Tournament game against Wake Forest, Bethel went down with a torn groin muscle. He missed four games before returning to play two minutes in an NCAA Tournament loss to Wisconsin. In the eight months since last season, one where the Wolfpack were 16-5 with Bethel as a starter, the guy with four nicknames - Stix, Beef, Bibble and Radar - has been a training-room regular rehabilitating the groin injury. He is averaging 6.3 points, 1.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 17.0 minutes a game off the bench, but sat out Wednesday's win over Virginia Military Institute because of lingering groin pain. Bethel could play limited minutes tonight against Notre Dame in the sixth-annual John R. Wooden Tradition at Conseco Fieldhouse. "It's been very frustrating, but I'm getting through it," said Bethel, one of three Wolfpack seniors. "Everybody has to go through something and I just have to deal with this. Things are starting to shape back up for me." Baseline bits -Notre Dame worked out Friday for 45 minutes each in the main arena and auxiliary gym of Conseco Fieldhouse. The Irish also attended that night's NBA game between the Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks. -North Carolina State did not arrive in town until Friday afternoon following a practice on its campus. The Wolfpack have a one-hour workout in Conseco today. -Freshman guard Kyle McAlarney visited N.C. State before selecting Notre Dame. -Tonight's game is the first between the schools since a 43-42 Irish victory in Raleigh on Feb. 12, 1983. Less than two months later, the Wolfpack won the national championship in dramatic fashion when a Lorenzo Charles rebound dunk beat Houston at the buzzer in Albuquerque. -This is Notre Dame's first game against an Atlantic Coast Conference school since beating Maryland, 79-67, in the first round of the 2002 BB&T Classic in Washington. -The Irish are 45-73 lifetime against the ACC, including 7-27 on neutral courts. -North Carolina State is picked to finish fourth in the ACC this season.